In an exhilarating matchup that kept fans on the edge of their seats, the Toronto Maple Leafs triumphed over the Ottawa Senators, securing their spot in the second round of the NHL playoffs. Max Pacioretty proved to be the hero for Toronto, netting the decisive goal in the waning moments of Game 6, concluding the first-round series with a 4-2 victory.
William Nylander put on an impressive performance, scoring twice, including an empty-netter in the final seconds, and assisting one goal. Auston Matthews contributed early in the game with a power-play goal in the first period, while Anthony Stolarz stood firm in Toronto’s goal, making 21 key saves.
Head coach Craig Berube emphasized a change in strategy for Toronto, stating, “We came in with a little bit different mindset. It wasn’t do-or-die, but we wanted to finish it off here. A little bit more aggressive and on our toes.”
Next up for the Maple Leafs is a face-off against the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, who recently bested the Tampa Bay Lightning in a five-game series. The path to victory wasn’t straightforward for Toronto, as they initially secured a commanding 3-0 series lead against Ottawa, only to face setbacks with a nail-biting 4-3 overtime loss in Game 4 and a 4-0 shutout in Game 5. However, Toronto pushed through, defeating the Senators to advance.
Matthews reflected on the victory, saying, “Nothing else really matters. The outside stuff doesn’t really matter. It’s about the guys that are in our room, and the belief in one another, doing it for one another. This one feels good.” The win marked only the second time the Maple Leafs have moved past the first round in more than twenty years, improving their record to 2-13 in potential series-clinching games since 2018.
Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk and David Perron were the scorers for the Senators, with Thomas Chabot assisting on both goals. Goalie Linus Ullmark stopped 19 shots but ultimately couldn’t fend off Toronto’s momentum. Reflecting on the loss, Tkachuk expressed, “I really believed that we were going to come back and win the game. Just tough, just tough.”
The critical moment came when Pacioretty, who had been a healthy scratch in earlier games, finally broke the deadlock with a precise shot set up by Max Domi, beating Ullmark to the glove side with little over five minutes on the clock. It marked Pacioretty’s first goal of the playoffs, a gratifying moment for the forward who had wrestled with multiple injuries and thoughts of retirement.
“I thought that I was done playing a number of times,” the 36-year-old veteran admitted. “My story is just one of many. But there’s a lot of resilient guys in this organization, been through a lot as well. Guys like that motivate me to keep going.”
Before Nylander sealed the victory with his second goal into an empty net, Scott Laughton nearly added to Toronto’s lead, hitting the post in a tense moment. Earlier in the game, Matthews had put Toronto ahead with a low shot that found its way through the crowded ice just before the end of the first period.
Celebrating his 29th birthday, Nylander made his first appearance on the scoreboard mere seconds into the second period, capitalizing on a turnover forced by Pacioretty from Senators defenseman Nick Jensen. Ottawa clawed their way back into contention when Tkachuk redirected a puck past Toronto’s netminder Stolarz at 7:28 of the second period.
Trying to extend their lead once more, Toronto came close as John Tavares and others took robust shots at Ullmark’s goal. Ottawa later leveled the game when Perron fired a surprising shot that ricocheted off Stolarz’s back to make it 2-2 late in regulation. But it wasn’t enough to hold back the Leafs on their march to the next round.
“That’s a hard-earned series,” Matthews concluded. “Move on to the next one.”